the exterior is covered in gold, with inlaid marble reminiscent of the taj mahal. you can’t photograph inside, of course, but the interior is even more splendid: gold, intricate painted designs, and a copy of the adi granth under a brilliantly embroidered canopy.

a sikh meditating on the top level of the temple. if it weren’t for the green plastic bag, this shot would have a timeless quality, but bags and water bottles are ubiquitous these days.

in addition to temple offices, the compound contains an enormous kitchen that feeds tens of thousands of people every day, around the clock, for free – sikhs and non-sikhs alike.

volunteers preparing vegetables. there were well over a hundred people peeling onions and garlic, shelling peas, and so on.